


A Moment to Relax

by FieryTGWorks (FierySprites)



Series: Worlds of Transformations [6]
Category: Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Embedded Images, F/M, Female Amamiya Ren, Female Yu Narukami, Friendship, Gender or Sex Swap, Genderbending, Male-to-Female Transformation, Mild Language, No Spoilers, One-Shot, Supernatural Elements, Transformation, Transgender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-24 20:48:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22284229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FierySprites/pseuds/FieryTGWorks
Summary: It’s stressful being a leader—especially the leader of three groups of Persona-users at once. Add in the fact that everyone’s trapped inside a theater for the foreseeable future, and you have a Joker who really, really needs a break.Yu’s got an idea, though: with a little help from Rise, he’ll grant Ren the relief he so desires. Trouble is, it’s gonna take him far out of his comfort zone… and right into Makoto’s, so to speak.(A TF/TG one-shot set duringPersona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth, where Yu and Ren become Rise and Makoto. Semi-sequel toGift of a False Face.)
Relationships: Amamiya Ren & Narukami Yu, Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kujikawa Rise/Narukami Yu
Series: Worlds of Transformations [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1047005
Kudos: 13





	A Moment to Relax

**Author's Note:**

> This one-shot is set during the events of _Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth,_ any time after Minato and Aigis join the party—and serves as a semi-successor to both _[Gift of a False Face](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15511461)_ and _[Letting Yourself Relax](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17749142/chapters/44293072)._ No spoilers for _Persona Q2, Persona 4 (Golden),_ or _Persona 5 (Royal)_ are included.
> 
> For clarity, Ren is being transformed into Makoto, and Yu is being transformed into Rise.
> 
>  **Warnings:** This one-shot contains Male-to-Female TF/TG, Mature Descriptions, and Mildly Out-of-Character Moments.

**Theater District  
Mysterious Cinema – Hallway**

**Ren Amamiya** sighed as he leaned against the wall. _It’s been a long couple of weeks. Or at least, that’s what it **feels** like._

The Wild Card had been through a lot of things in his time as the illustrious leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. He could safely say that his (and his teammates’) current predicament topped _everything_ thus far.

Normally, Ren wouldn’t be so inwardly agitated. Palace Heists were usually broken up into sessions across multiple weeks, and in-between he’d get to either spend time with a Confidant or just enjoy the rest of his day doing whatever. He’d fallen into a comfortable rhythm, and even the Palace they were on-track to tackling couldn’t shake him of that confidence.

And then this happened.

So just to recap, for those not in the know:

  1. The Phantom Thieves were trapped in a theater, with the only means of escape being through the dungeons created by movies.
  2. Said ‘movies’ were large, sprawling, and crawling to the brim with Shadows and ‘gimmicks’, for lack of a better word to use.
  3. A bunch of other Persona-users (two groups worth: SEES and the Investigation Team) and Velvet Room attendants were wrapped up in this, too.
  4. He had to lead a team of twenty-seven teenagers. Twenty-seven colorful and chaotic teenagers. His own group was already a handful with _eight._
  5. There was no Big Bang Burger for him to ~~try and~~ munch on.



You get the idea.

Sure, it was nice getting to know the new guys and interact with everyone—and there was some sort of charm in the way every film was certainly not A-List quality—but that couldn’t change the fact that he was getting _tired._ A part of him wondered how much of this was divine punishment simply from his wanting to help a woman from being sexually abused.

 _I seriously need a break,_ he groaned. _A break from being the leader, a break from fighting Shadows all the time—a break from being **me** for a while. Is that too much to ask for?_

“You seem to be deep in thought,” a level voice noted.

Ren raised his head and turned to look at the source. **Yu Narukami** was walking down the corridor, a warm expression on his neatly-kept face. Accompanying him was idol singer and fellow classmate **Rise Kujikawa** , her cute cheeks giving off a beam as wide as humanely possible. The duo hung out with each other a lot, from what Ren could tell; if he remembered his facts correctly, by 2016 they were most certainly in a relationship.

“That’s one way of putting it,” Ren carefully remarked.

Rise cheerfully hopped over to the Phantom Thief’s side. “So, what are you doing right now, Leader? I have to admit, I thought you’d be off hanging ‘round with someone rather than be here by yourself.”

“It _does_ seem more up his alley,” Yu agreed. “Even Minato spends a lot of time with his sister and SEES.”

“It’s just…” Ren paused, trying to figure out what to say. “I’ve got a lot on my plate right now. Coordinating such a huge party, exploring all these dungeons… I just really need some time to myself, y’know?”

Yu and Rise glanced at each other, understanding clear in their eyes.

“I don’t blame you for that,” the elder Wild Card said. “I’ve taken my fair share of rests in the Midnight Channel. Well… maybe a little more than just a rest, at times.” Then his face lit up with an idea. “Hey… maybe you should join us! Next time Rise and I hang out by ourselves, I mean.”

The trickster looked startled by this offer. “R-R-Really?” he replied, eyes as big as saucers. “Are—Are you _sure?_ I—I wouldn’t want to intrude on your privacy or anything…”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry!” the pop sensation assured him. “We’re totally fine with it! And besides… I wouldn’t wanna let you miss out on the experience of a lifetime!”

 _The experience of a lifetime? Meeting an idol’s pretty cool and all, but I don’t think that alone is enough to make it an ‘experience’…_ Still, at the very least, it’d be a nice break from everything that had happened—and everything that was going to happen in the near future. It wasn’t like there’d be any harm, so…

“…alright,” he decided. “I’ll do it. I’ll join you two.”

Unsurprisingly, Rise erupted in delight. “Woohoo!” she cheered. “Finally! I’ve wanted to have a partner join me and Yu-senpai for ages now!” (“It’s only been a few months, Rise…”) “Though, if we’re gonna make this work right, then there’s something that I _really_ need to know. So, lemme ask you a question: of the girls in your team, which one are you closest to? You know, romantically! Doing it nice and lovely up in bed, and all that jazz!”

Ren immediately started blushing. “Wh-Whuh—!?” _Th-That just came outta nowhere!_ “D-Don’t you think that’s kind of a—p- _personal_ question to ask!?” he stammered out.

“You get used to those, when it comes to Rise,” Yu commented. “In all honesty, though, it _is_ kind of important for her to know that. Trust me on that.”

 _If he insists… besides, I have the feeling she won’t take no for an answer._ After a moment’s silence, the thief laid out his reply: “Makoto. We’re not… exactly dating or anything—” _yet,_ his mind added— “but I’d… like to be closer to her, someday.”

Rise’s grin, if possible, got only wider. “Makoto, huh? Didn’t expect Ms. Queen to catch your eye! If she’s your answer, then that’ll make this all the better!” Suddenly, she strutted off toward the main lobby. “I’m gonna go make some preparations now! You two meet me in Kamo City in twenty minutes, ‘kay?”

And just like that, without giving Ren any chance to respond, she was gone.

The Phantom Thief blinked, mind reeling from the encounter he’d just had.

“W-Wow,” he said dumbly. “That—That was…”

“…a lot?” Yu finished for him. “Yeah. She can be like that.”

* * *

**Kamo City – First Avenue**

It felt a bit weird, going into Kamoshidaman movie with just the three of them—especially when it wasn’t for one of Elizabeth’s Special Screenings—but hey, it wasn’t anything they couldn’t handle, so long as they kept away from the more Shadow-populated zones.

So there they were, standing in the middle of a secluded square: Ren looking shifty, Yu looking refined, and Rise looking peppy. The former was breathing in and out, trying to appear his usual level of ‘I’ve got things covered’. (It was a testament to the stress he was feeling that he was barely able to keep steady like that.)

“So,” Ren began, eager to break the silence, “what do we do first? Walk around, do some window-shopping—or maybe just some people-watching?” Sure, the ‘people’ were just cognitive resemblances or whatever, but they were still real _enough._

“A little bit of this, a little bit of that,” Rise replied casually. Behind her, Kanzeon—her main Persona—was out and looking about, seemingly scanning for any dangers. “There’s a lotta things I wanna get to, actually, but one step at a time.”

After a few more moments, the idol concluded all was well. “Right! No Shadows in sight, no FOEs around, the movie screen won’t show us on it—we’re good to go!” She hopped up and down in excitement. “Ooh, I can’t _wait_ to see how you’ll turn out, Ren!”

_How I’ll… turn out? Huh?_

“I have to admit, I’m pretty interested myself,” Yu stated. “It’s one thing to experience it yourself, but it’s another thing to watch it happen to somebody else.”

_…I’m beginning to think this was a massive mistake._

“You got it, Yu-senpai!” She stretched her arms into the air, widely grinning all the while. “Alright—‘nuff just talking about it! Let’s get to doing it!”

All of a sudden, green squares flared up from beneath Yu and Ren’s feet, with what looked like a bunch of computer windows scanning over them. The latter jolted, confusion and panic written all over his face. “R-Rise!? Wh-What the heck are you—!?” He didn’t get a chance to finish his question, though… for the changes began soon after.

Ren’s mask burned away, leaving behind his exposed face – a face that was growing ever more surprised as he felt his black hair lengthen a little. A brown bob cut now rested on his head, accompanied by a braid-styled headband. The rest of his face was shifting, too: gray eyes flashed a crimson red; facial features shrunk and looked noticeably more petite; his lips softened and pursed together cutely—

And that wasn’t the only thing going on. It seemed as if Ren’s whole world was being upended entirely; all at once, his frame lost four inches, his bodily structure both caving in (ooh, look at those curves) and pushing itself outward (nice hips, too!). This applied to his limbs as well: muscle was traded for slim and slenderness, all hairlines being lost as his skin smoothened out with a shine.

High-pitched squeaks accompanied this discomfort, smaller hands and feet flailing about in panic. “I—I don’t—” he spluttered, his voice having risen a few octaves. “I’m not—understanding—!?”

His very frantic panicking – looking comedic, in a way – distracted him from the two biggest changes to come. It came subtly, with only a tinge of swelling in his chest and crotch areas indicating anything was going to happen. In the blink of an eye, a pair of medium-sized breasts ballooned into place, sizeable enough that they bounced up and down a fair bit.

The momentum pushed him forward, throwing him off-balance. And unfortunately for him, he didn’t have enough time to do any course corrections before his manhood was abruptly sucked into himself. The new girl promptly went crashing toward the floor, her mind temporarily shutting down from the shock. _B-B-Blblblblblblb— **huh!?**_ (Helpfully, this also meant that she got to experience how sensitive her skin was now. Yowch!)

Finally, the rest of Ren’s Phantom Thief outfit—coat, pants, gloves and all—proceeded to be engulfed in flames. They disappeared almost as quickly as they came, leaving a new set of clothes behind.

She was now wearing a white overall shirt, a shirt so short it showed off entirely too much of her midriff (in her most expert opinion). Similarly, her dark pair of shorts—which also came with a belt—took its name far too literally: it covered her panties and that was about it (and oh yeah, she was wearing _panties_ now; wasn’t _that_ odd?). Completing her extremely revealing outfit were two white cuffs, a necklace, large earrings, and black boots too.

Once it was all over, Ren picked herself off the floor, reeling from the impact of… whatever the heck had just happened. “Rise, wha—what did you…?” she heaved, instinctively dusting dirt from her clothes. She shivered and hugged herself, taking in her new appearance with a biting lip. “This voice… it’s **Makoto’s**. I’d recognize her anyway. But—But how…?”

“Surprised?” Rise’s voice flitted in. The trickster turned to look at her, the idol beaming with the force of a thousand suns. “I know, it’s a bit hard to wrap your head ‘round at first—but I think you’ll learn to love it in time!”

“Th-Th-That’s not—I, I mean—” the other ‘girl’ stammered. “H-How is something like this even _possible?_ L-Last I checked, Personas couldn’t transform others!” **_My_** _Personas certainly can’t do that! …I think!_

“Well, that’s a rather lengthy story in and of itself.” That was Rise’s voice, but… it hadn’t come from the pop star in front of Ren. She whirled around—and lo and behold, there was a _second_ Rise Kujikawa, inexplicably standing next to where Wild Card was.

Instead of Yasogami High’s uniform, this Rise wore a pink-and-white crop top with silver linings showing off her respectable cleavage and midriff, plus a magenta-patterned miniskirt. She accessorized with a large pink ribbon tying her hair, yellow headphones latched over her ears, a black collar ‘round her neck, and a single fingerless glove on her left hand. Long black stockings and pink high-heels finished off her admittedly cutesy design.

For a moment, all Ren could do was stare into the duplicate’s twinkling eyes with a rather stunned gaze. Then she put the pieces of the puzzle together.

“Y-Y-Y-Y- ** _Yu!?”_**

“Yep,” she popped the p.

Her jaw was on the floor for several seconds straight. Once she managed to close it, she asked, “Okay, now I _really_ need that explanation.”

“So the thing is,” Rise—the real Rise—began, “my Shadow’s whole schtick was that I had a bunch of fake selves without a ‘real one’, so that morphed into her being able to give others a fake self of their own. Then she grew attached to Yu-senpai, and [temporarily rewrote reality so that he was my sister.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15511461)”

Yu nonchalantly shrugged. “For what it’s worth, being your sister was pretty fun. Could’ve done without the whole memory loss thing, though. And the scary mind-altering transformation.”

Ren looked a little alarmed. “D-Do I even _want_ to know about that…!?”

“Don’t worry, I reversed it as soon as I came back to myself. And I learned how to reel my own powers in soon afterward. It was…” She laughed nervously, eyes shifting about. “…kinda embarrassing – but at least only him and I remember the whole thing. And hey, at least we got this arrangement out of it! Whenever Yu-senpai needs a break, [I just turn him back into me and let him go!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17749142/chapters/44293072)”

“That leads us to this,” Yu continued. “You looked tired and kind of overwhelmed, so I was thinking, our tried-and-true strategy might for you, too. That, and I thought that seeing your reaction would be fun.” He— _she?_ —smiled. “I was right. You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

The trickster’s cheeks flushed in response, and she quickly decided to change the topic. “O-Okay, okay! Th-That’s enough, I think! We should, uh, g-get to doing… whatever it is we’re supposed to be doing now!”

“Fine by me!” Rise grinned. “So! This’ll be just a trial run, since this is your first time! You’ll be walking around with Yu-senpai, learning about all the wonders of being a woman: the stares, the style, the attitude – trust me, it’s something you’ll never, _ever_ forget!” Then she perked up, having just remembered something. “Ooh, ooh! And you need a **new name** , too, to sell your disguise!”

“Huh?” The Phantom Thief blinked. “I… do? Wh-Why’s that?”

“Sometimes, you just need to get away from yourself,” Yu chipped in. “And that can include assuming another identity altogether. I personally go by **Reiko Kujikawa** while I’m like this – any names spring to _your_ mind?”

“Umm…”

“It’s gotta be something that’d mesh well with Makoto,” Rise mused. “Midori, Mariko, or Megumi could do—though if you want something closer to your original name, then maybe Reina or Renako would work… _ahhhh,_ there are just so many possibilities!”

Ren tuned out the idol as she began to ramble and sighed. _A name, huh…? You know, when I agreed to this, I really didn’t think things would grow to become this complicated. Here I thought we’d just be hanging out, and then…_

_…_

_…well, I guess it **is** a new opportunity for me. Sure, it’ll be as—as a g- **girl** , but… I dunno, it might be interesting??? Worth it??? There’s really no telling unless I give it a try for myself, so…_

_Sure! Let’s do this! I’ll put on a mask, and… I’ll escape from myself, if only for a day._

_I just hope that Rise doesn’t talk about this incident **too** much…_

* * *

Approximately a half-hour later, the rechristened **Ryoko Niijima** was out and about in the streets of Kamo City, walking alongside Reiko Kujikawa in a rather nervous fashion. Despite her previous convictions, she couldn’t help but feel as though there was a spotlight placed on her (a rather ironic statement, considering who her fellow Wild Card was imitating). Everyone’s eyes were on her, be them foul or lecherous or simply interested.

She was used to whispers and rumors, yes, being something of a pariah back at Shujin Academy—but this was a whole different level altogether. It was one thing to be hated; it was another to have others be distinctly _attracted_ toward her, with all the thought processes that came with that. Ann had discussed moments like this with her before; she was beginning to see why she didn’t like it.

It didn’t help matters that she was in a body she had barely any familiarity with, in clothing that was far too breezy and revealing for her likings. Her hips kept shifting left and right, drawing attention to her perky butt and curvaceous legs, and a cold draft kept going up and down her skin thanks to how much of it was exposed (though, that might also be from the stares on her). And then there was the feeling of the shirt’s fabric fluttering over her bosom…

 _“Brrrrrrrrrr…!”_ she shuddered. “Y-Yu, how do you make this look so easy…? I can barely take a single step without trying to topple over!”

In sharp contrast to her companion, Yu was in her element. She exalted confidence with every step she took, wearing a glowing smile and blowing kisses at her audience. If Ren didn’t know any better, she would’ve mistaken her for the _actual_ Rise, so good was her imitation of the pop sensation’s act.

“Don’t call me Yu, Ree-chan,” she faux-pouted. “I’m Reiko right now, remember? I get that you’ve got a bit of stage fright, but that’s no reason to forget who we are right now!” She spun around and booped Ren’s nose. “C’mon, show a little spirit!”

“H-Hey, gimme a break!” Ren— _Ryoko,_ she reminded herself _—_ protested. “You know I’m not fully comfortable with this! I didn’t even get a _bra,_ for Igor’s sake!”

Rise’s voice piped in, _“But it’s fun, having your breasts bounce up and down and stuff!”_ She may not have been there with them, but dang if she wasn’t gonna miss out on all the juicy content going about. _“It’s part of the complete ‘how to be a girl’ package! And speaking of which…”_ Her voice gained a teasing quality. _“…no one’s gonna think twice of you if you decide to experiment with ‘em…”_

It took all of five seconds for Ren to bury her blushing face in her palms. _“Riseeeeeeee…”_

Yu laughed, nice and girly. “Well, if you really need some advice… fake it ‘til you make it! Imagine having somebody else’s personality and go off from there! Kinda like switching Personas, in a way.”

Now that was something Ren knew well. When you interacted with as many people as she did, you learned which specific parts of yourself to present to others. This was… This was just more of the same, wasn’t it? The only difference was the coat of paint plastered over her wallpaper.

“It can’t really be that simple… can it?” she wondered.

 _“You won’t know ‘til you give it a shot!”_ Rise chimed. _“Here, I’ll give you a hand!”_ A red glyph appeared beneath Ren’s feet, and suddenly, her mind felt a little lighter than before—light enough for a few mild compulsions to be added in.

_“Now, repeat after me: you’re Ryoko Niijima!”_

“I… I’m…”

_“What’s that? I can’t heaaaaaar you~!”_

She took in a breath. “I’m Ryoko Niijima.”

_“That’s right! You’re the younger twin sister of Makoto Niijima, Student Council President of Shujin Academy!”_

“I’m the younger twin sister of Makoto Niijima, Student Council President of Shujin Academy.”

_“You’re confident, smart, a bit harsh sometimes—but you’ve got heart, and you care ‘bout your friends a lot!”_

“I’m confident, smart, honest… and I care deeply for my friends. And if there’s a goal ahead of me, I won’t stop until manage to achieve it.”

_“Okay! Setting up temporary persona… integrating with the brain… aaaaaaaand… all done! You’re all set to go now, Ryoko!”_

And just like that, the whole world seemed to make sense again. Ren—no, **Ryoko** stood tall and strong, hand placed assertively on her waist, a firmness in her eyes. All of her audience’s gazes fell by the wayside as she shifted to having far more of a presence.

“Doin’ okay, girl?” Reiko queried, her head tilted.

“I’m fine,” was Ryoko’s reply. “And I’m ready, now. _Really_ ready. I don’t even remember what I was so afraid of, in all honesty. It’s not like I need to worry about any of the people here—” _especially not when I’ve got my Personas by my side._ She cocked her head toward her companion, a perfect smile on her face. “So, Reiko—shall we dance for everyone?”

Reiko jumped up and down in excitement, almost exactly like her ‘sister’ would. “Like you had to ask!”

And so, the two of them continued on their way, letting everyone’s judgements wash over them and relishing in how adrenaline-pumping their current bodies felt (maybe a little too much, but hey, what male wouldn’t do the same?). It was a strange way to spend a couple hours of their time, yeah, and it’d be difficult trying to hide this secret from everyone else – but heck if it wasn’t fun to do. It was like nothing else Ryoko had ever experienced.

In fact, she wouldn’t mind doing it again with Yu and Rise back home.

_Ryoko Niijima… that name really has a nice ring to it._

_If I ever had the opportunity to bring her back in the future… I think I’d take it, first chance._

_For now, though? She’s— **I’m** —not going anywhere anytime soon. And I’ve got a break I deserve to enjoy to the best of my ability._

_Now—let’s ride, full throttle!_

* * *

Later, back in the Mysterious Cinema…

_“I’m baaaaaaaack! And I’ve got some sweet homemade movies to show to you, too!”_

_A sigh. “I still wonder how you talked me into this, Kujikawa-san. In any other circumstance, I’d decry this as obscene and inappropriate, and yet…”_

_“…you like Joker enough to lend him your body for a bit, right?”_

_“…”_

_“No need to be embarrassed! I wouldn’t have come up to you if I didn’t know you’d do it for him!”_

_“Did he… Did he at least have a good break?”_

_“Getting right to the good bits, I see! Since you’re asking so nicely…”_

_A screen suddenly showed up in front of them. The two spent several moments just watching it play back._

_“So? Whaddya think? Yu-senpai and Ren look_ good _strutting like that, huh?”_

 _A blush. “W-W-Well, I—that’s kind of a l-loaded question, since it’s still technically_ my _body… but…”_

_A pair of red eyes were drawn to a certain duplicate’s smile._

_“…hey, Rise-san?”_

_“Hmm?”_

_“Thank you. For doing this for Ren. He’s been so tired and stressed lately, so… I’m glad he was able to relax for a bit.”_

_“Hey, no problem! Maybe next time, you can join Ren on his power walk! I’m sure you’ve always wanted a younger twin, amirite?”_

_“Wh-Wha!? D-D-Don’t be ridiculous…!”_

**Author's Note:**

> Images used: [First one](https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/3698710).
> 
> Surprise, surprise! Here’s another TF/TG fic, courtesy of my irregularly updating ass.
> 
> For once, this one-shot is relatively short! Part of that’s ‘cause I skimped out on the usual elongated lore and transformation sequences this time, but the other part has to do with me being tired of writing brutally long chapters. A guy needs to reel himself in at some point.
> 
> Wild Cards seem to be saddled with a lot of responsibility – but then again, that’s par for the course for fictional protagonists. Even then, it must be a difficult task having to coordinate twenty-seven superpowered teenagers (and et cetera) and keep a handle on the whole ‘trapped in a movie theater with living films’ thing. As capable as Ren is, even he needs a break from time to time. Maybe not _quite_ like this – but eh, whatever works!
> 
> I imagine Yu wouldn’t really mind doing this from time to time. He’s so unflappable most of the time, he’d just take it all in stride. Heck, he’d even _enjoy_ it. On that note, he’s probably the best person for Ren to be around during all of this. He won’t judge—and on that note, neither will Rise. (They know what it’s like to want to get away for a bit.)
> 
> Overall, this was a nice change of pace. Not too dark, not too detailed—just a nice, fun little thing before I get back to slowly finishing my next major fic updates. I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Well, that’s all for now – see you around!


End file.
